Best plate lunch on Maui?
 

I lived on Oahu for four years during high school, now I'm going back (15 years later) to Maui with my husband (his first time in Hawaii). One thing I still miss is eating a plate lunch after a morning swimming and surfing at the beach . . . YUM. Where is the best plate lunch on Maui? Thanks, can't wait to return to paradise.

Just curious - what is a plate lunch and what makes it so memorable?

A typical plate lunch might be a scoop of sticky rice with an egg or hamburger patty on top, gravy, macaroni salad and a little fresh fruit. You buy them at small stands or restaurants, the food is plain but very very good, not cafeteria style . . . it may not be too good for you but after working up an appetite swimming and surfing, nothing tastes better!

That description did nothing for my appetite. I guess surfing must make any food look good. Sticky rice, a burger and macaroni salad. Sounds like a bad potluck at a family reunion.

A plate lunch can also be something other than a burger patty with gravy. It can be basically anything from teri chicken to mahi mahi or kalua pork, but yes it usually comes with a scoop of rice and scoop of macaroni salad.

mmmmmmm plate lunch, goooooodddd. You brought back memories of my trip to Kealani for a wedding -- AWESOME plate lunches nearby the resort but I couldn't tell you a name.

"yuck yuck," that's why I'm looking for LOCALS to respond to this question. If you haven't had a plate lunch, your opinion ain't worth squat. Of course it sounds bad to you . . . but you haven't really lived.

I've had a number of plate lunches while in Oahu and Maui and none of them have been memorable enough to even remember a name or location. If I never had to have another, it would be too soon.

sudas's for loco moco or alexanders for fresh ahi, ono or wahoo or calamari plus fries and mac salad for about 6 bucks aloha

Surely you left out the Spam ? <BR>Did Spam fritters (fried/battered Spam)ever catch on in Hawaii ?<BR>I haven't had them for 35 years or so but the memory is positive !

Eat more than one meal in the Islands and you will no doubt find yourself face-to-fork with the ubiquitous "plate lunch." Hawai'i's version of fast food, the plate lunch is inexpensive (usually less than $7), made to travel (to the beach, at least) and meant to satisfy even the healthiest of hungers.<BR>These build-your-own masterpieces begin with a solid foundation of starch, inevitably including rice (white or brown) and a choice of macaroni or potato salad. From there, the options are nearly boundless, but usually include a choice of several types of barbecued pork and beef (mild Chinese char siu pork and tangy Korean kalbi ribs among them); chicken done adobo (braised), katsu (breaded and fried) or teriyaki style; lomilomi salmon (served salted and chilled, Mexican ceviche style) and more.<BR>Every kama'aina (local) on every island has his or her favorite plate lunch shop, but a few good places to start are Honolulu's Ono Hawaiian Foods (for an emphasis on indigenous dishes), Hilo's Caf&eacute; 100 (home of the original "Loco Moco"), Lahaina's Aloha Mixed Plate (superb shoyu chicken), Lihu'e's Fish Express (try the 'ahi katsu) and Kaunakakai's Big Daddy's Store & Restaurant

Loved the Aloha Mixed Plate in Lahaina- the beef teriyaki is awesome!